Persian New Year’s Partiers Defy Mullahs; Media Snoozes
The Iranian people stood firm, often clashing with the security forces. In Tehran, protesters were seen burning pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic; Ayatollah Khamenei, the current supreme leader; and President Ahmadinejad. One unverified report said the regime deployed 5,000 personnel in response.
In Kermanshah, approximately 500 people were arrested by security forces who were met with chants of “death to the clerical rule.” In Bandar Abbas, the words “long live freedom” were spray-painted on the ground. The regime’s actions were met with heavy resistance, with some reports of homemade explosives being thrown at the attacking forces. In a strong testament to the power of a determined people, security personnel were even forced to retreat in Karaj, Tehran, Astara, and other cities. Throughout Iran, the chants of slogans like “death to dictatorship” were commonplace, with each chant shaking the very ground the regime stands on.
The Iranian people are fighting for a voice and are searching for people in the West to make sure their struggle is not in vain. The fact that such reports, photos, and videos are being sent to me, a 22-year-old writer who spends far too much time jamming on Guitar Hero, reflects the sad reality of American inattention to those fighting for our principles in places where we are unwilling to do so.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has praised the videotaped message sent to the mullahs, saying, “President Obama’s outreach to the people of Iran marks a new beginning on the first day of this new season. We must all work together to define our relationship not by our differences, as the president has said, but by what we share in common.”
With this press release, Speaker Pelosi has failed to see this message for what it is: a message to the Iranian leadership, not to the Iranian people. Their problems went unmentioned, their struggle went unacknowledged, and their fight for freedom is being disregarded as the U.S. seeks to strike a deal with the mullahs with the naive belief that they will somehow treat us better than they treat their own people. The Iranian people will not view this message as one of respect, but as one of betrayal.
They should’ve done this while Bush was in office. They wait until they’re too desperate, and there will be no help forthcoming.
Sadly, yes (see above).
If you’ve ever met Iranians in the workplace, you’d know that they’re not your traditional Sunni muslims. They’re only nominally Shia types, mostly non-religious. Even those who have served in the army. There’s not enough strength there to build any kind of political movement other than a hippy-like “freedom” movement. There’s not even a hint of Christian backbone. Go for it if you like, but I’m not placing any personal bets on Iranian “freedom”!
Meanwhile, the US president is determined to give credibility to the so-called, “Islamic Republic”. Sad.
I wouldn’t count the Iranian people out. They did overthrow the Shah, even if they turned out to be useful idiots for the Madhi Cult. They kicked butt for centuries in the Middle East and kept the Romans out of most of their ancient empire. Like most struggles for liberty, once even a third of the population sees a reasonable chance of success they will go for it. The Mullahs had said year after year they don’t have a problem with a massive Israeli retaliatory nuclear strike, but Mom and Dad may be willing to put it all on the line to give the kids a chance.
How did Persia ever become islamic? Unfortunately, the answer is simple: By the sword!
What does conversion mean? It means different things in different circumstances. In that case conversion meant survival as a slave. The islamization of Persia is the politically correct way of saying “The plunder of Persia”. It was the greatest humiliation of this proud people, who fell under dhimmitude.
What are the mullahs doing? They are rubbing it in!
Obama is an idiot. He comes to the rescue of the mullahs instead of supporting the people.
I should give you Obama’s slogan, “Power to the Mullahs!”
“People who talk of Islam should not participate in such ceremonies…those who do not follow the norms have to be dealt with” and “bothersome traditions have to [be] called off.”
Just another strike against culture & tradition, the Mullahs trying to wipe a long and rich history of “Persian-ness” from their little Islamic enclave.
Just like Arachnid-jihad declared the Holocaust didn’t happen.
Just like the Taliban blew up the giant Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, a huge & ancient part of Afghan culture, despite Afghans not being Buddhist.
Just like Hitler and Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot worked so hard to simply eradicate any sign, symbol (or individual) who might have remembered a different way.
Throughout Iran, the chants of slogans like “death to dictatorship” were commonplace, with each chant shaking the very ground the regime stands on.
Our President may want to play kissy face with tyrants or not stand with the Iranian people, but We, The People, do.
It’s like looking up at the night sky and knowing there are meteors, comets, etc. raceing across the universe and not being able to see them with the naked eye. I think President Bush was exactly right when he said that all people long for freedom. Sometimes it seems only the bad ones get it.
President Jimmy Carter threw out the Shah.
In the same way West Berlin was a source of “Hope and Change” for those behind the Iron Curtain, the democratic success in Iraq will result in the Iranian public questioning the mullah’s leadership. We will see demonstrations crushed like Praugue and Tienaman Square, but then the population will realize that a tolitarian regime does not have their best interests at heart. I’d take a beating or a bullet to improve my children’s future. The Iranians will as well.
History has shown that human nature is an irresitible force. Superior firepower and oppression just delays regime change.
President Obama talking nice only gives the today’s regime time to imprison and murder the first dissenters, holding back the inevitable conflict with the people, causing the ending to be more intense and bloodier than necessary. That’s what happens when appeasing dictatorships.
Changing political systems is always a messy business.It’s best for outsiders to get tough with the current government and help change the system quickly, limiting the carnage.
“They should’ve done this while Bush was in office. They wait until they’re too desperate, and there will be no help forthcoming.”
They did Marc! Massive street protests. The Mad Dog Mullahs responded by sending their bully boys over in Heilos to shoot automatic weapons into the mob. This was in ’04 or ’05. June the 9th, IIRC. It got about .15 seconds coverage on the web, zero in the MSM. What this writer more of less ignores is that the ‘revolution’ in Iran is strictly an urban youth one. Those old enough to remember the Shah and the rustics want nothing to do with revolution, they support the Mad Dog Mullahs to one degree or another.
Every June (when finals are over?) the Students (secular, not taliban) go out and protest.
If the Mullahs think that SAVAK cannot deal with the ringleaders, they will send their bully boys and taliban into the streets to beat the crap out of the secular students. If the secular students look to be winning, out come the automatic weapons.
The ONLY way reginme change happens in Iran is thru the efforts of the 1st Armored and 3rd Infantry division, plus whichever Marines are handy.
We could do the old Israeli targeted assassination thangie, but there is a Mad Dog Mullah factory in Qom and when we kill the ones on top, the lower ranks will just move up and some more entry level mullahs will be cranked out.
It took Iran 8 years to fight to a standstill the Iraqi Army the US destroyed in a week.
2 reinforced divisions could get to Tehran in 3 days or so. It’s about 350 miles as the crow flies, 600 by road. Patton did 90 miles per day against a better army with slower equipment. So did Rommel. It won’t happen, so the Mad Dog Mullahs will build a bomb and give it to one of their terrorist proxies and then a bucket of sunshine will appear in a western city. The only real question is ‘which city?’
Here is something on the 2003 protests. Google The 1999 protests;
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june03/iran_6-18.html
Any other time they’d be using suicide bombers and car bombs to make their point, but here only firecrackers?
The below report shows why Iranian people don’t want mullahs regime any more in IRAN!
Iranian Political Annual Review
Date: 2009/04/05
Iranian people staged 6,480 protests against Iranian regime last year
According to recorded statistics and figures, various stratums of Iran’s society staged more than 6,480 protests against the clerical dictatorship in Iran last year.
The year 1387 (Persian year from March 24, 2008 to March 24, 2009) was the year of resistance and perseverance for the Iranian people in all fields. According to recorded figures, the Iranian people staged more than 6,480 strikes, sit-ins, gatherings, and clashes with suppressive forces.
According to these figures, approximately 540 protests were staged every month and about 18 protests daily. There were 1,590 more recorded protests last year than the year before. These protests included 1,800 student protests, 1,215 worker’s protests, 320 protests staged by teachers and 3,145 protests by other stratums in the society including political prisoners. We also witnessed uprisings in Ivan Qarb and Marivan. In the month of Ordibehesht (April 20, 2008 – May 20, 2008) the people of Ivan Qarb in the province of Ilam attacked government centers setting them on fire after state security forces opened fire on them killing three people. In the last month of 1387, people in Marivan in Kurdistan clashed with suppressive forces and set fire to RGC cars after the execution of a plan to close the border. The Iranian regime was forced to back down from executing this suppressive plan. Members of Tehran’s Bazaar also staged a strike for more than two weeks against the plundering policies of the Iranian regime. This widespread strike forced Ahmadinejad to back down. In the month of Isfand (February 19, 2009 – March 20, 2009) 1,500 students of Amir Kabir University in Tehran chanted “death to dictator” and showed their anger and resentment towards the plan to bury the bones of fallen soldiers who were victimized in the Iran-Iraq war in their university and clashed with State Security Forces.
On the eve of Ashura (religious Shiite ceremony for the death of Imam Hussein, son of Imam Ali) the Iranian people in Homayun Shahr, Darache, Zeinabieh and other cities clashed with government agents.
On Tuesday March 17, despite high security measures and even a de facto curfew set by security forces to prevent Feast of Fire celebrations, the Iranian people especially the youth turned these celebrations into widespread protests against the Iranian regime. Young people used handmade bombs and firecrackers to clash with security forces.
With their persistent protests and strikes, political prisoners also lighted the fire of resistance in the regime’s notorious torture chambers. On June 19, 35 imprisoned supporters of the PMOI in Gohardasht Prison and Isfahan Central Prison went on a hunger strike for 10 days.
Therefore, in the year 1387 the Iranian people met the Iranian regime face to face in various fields showing that they want nothing other than regime change.